'We are watching the Sri Ram Sene'

Home Minister P Chidambaram said the Govt is keeping a watch on the Sri Ram Sene, a right wing fringe group that attacked young women at a pub in Mangalore last month and has been accused of harassing the daughter of a Kerala legislator.

Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Monday the government is keeping a watch on the Sri Ram Sene, a right wing fringe group that attacked young women at a pub in Mangalore last month and has been accused of harassing the daughter of a Kerala legislator.

Addressing reporters in Kollam, Chidambaram said the central government was not just being a spectator to what has happened.

"We are expecting the Karnataka government to take action," he said.

Shruti, a Class 12 student of St. Aloysius College and daughter of Communist Party of India-Marxist legislator C.H. Kunhambu, and a friend were on their way to Mangalore from Kasaragod last Friday when a group of hoodlums dragged them out of the bus. They were taken away in an autorickshaw and beaten up. Five people were arrested in the case a day later.

On the issue of terrorism, the minister said India had a policy of "zero tolerance" towards terrorism.

"The central government is in the process of implementing a number of measures to step up internal security. The intelligence inputs will be shared with states on real time basis. I will be visiting all the states to get first hand knowledge of issues faced by them while ensuring internal security," said Chidambaram.

He was here to inaugurate the first ever coastal police station of Kerala at Neendakara near Kollam.

He also said that a Coastal Command would be set up soon.

"Better coordination amongst the Indian Navy, Coast Guard and police forces is necessary to tackle security issues along the vast coastline of the country. The census enumeration of nine coastal states and four union territories is to be completed quickly and multipurpose National Identity Cards will be issued by 2009-10," he added.